HELENA-WEST HELENA — Police in Helena-West Helena say the father of a 2-month-old girl was charged with manslaughter and child endangerment after a gun he was unloading fired accidentally and struck the child.
Television stations in Memphis reported that the child died Friday night. Takiyah Walker with the Helena-West Helena Police Department told WMC that the man wasn't aware the gun was still loaded when he set it down. The child's grandfather, Leon Minniefield, said the family was "heartbroken, disappointed [and] weary-eyed."
WREG said Kevin Minniefield faces one count of manslaughter and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
The 30-year-old was being held Monday night in the Monroe County jail, which occasionally holds Phillips County inmates. There was no record available Monday evening on whether Minniefield had a lawyer.
Read Tuesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
